A bad witch's blog
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I am Lucya, I'm a witch. A blog about paganism, witchcraft and the day-to-day experiences of a witch living in the UK.
A bad witch's blog
2d ago
Here's a list of events for pagans, witches and those with similar interests. There are online things you can do anywhere plus in-person talks and workshops in or near London, and some conferences and festivals further afield.
Now - 2 June; Rediscovering Gems - Exhibition of gems depicting deities, mythology and more. Venue: British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Free entry. https://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/rediscovering-gems
Now - 4 April; Exhibition - Swedenborg’s Lusthus. Venue: Swedenborg House, 20-21 Bloomsbury Way, London WC1A 2TH. Tick ..read more
A bad witch's blog
3d ago
Here's an extract on The Magick of Plants from the new book Runes for the Green Witch by Nicolette Miele:
The Magick of Plants
We harness the power of plants in a myriad of ways. We consume them, bathe in them, fill our homes and yards with them, burn them as incense, create medicines and magickal blends such as tinctures, potions, ritual oils, and other charms. When it comes to healing, plants can be used for just about anything, from anxiety to dandruff, from indigestion to heartbreak.
If you are brand new to working with herbs or magick in general, you might be wondering how an herb c ..read more
A bad witch's blog
4d ago
I took these pictures of the Enchanted Forest display at Charmed - the Wellcome Collection's day of talks, workshops and exhbitions related to amulets and magic. Above, you can see books on herbs, folklore and natural magic. The one to the right shows an engraving of a curious amulet in the shape of a caterpillar, from a 19th century magazine. A letter described silver amulets like this being made by monks and hired out to farmers in Ireland to ward off these little beasts. The Conac or Murrain caterpillar was thought to cause illness in cattle. (You can find more details on Wellcome's websi ..read more
A bad witch's blog
6d ago
I photographed this line of dolls by a lovely garden installation outside the Guildhall. It was created by the The Worshipful Company of Gardeners as this year's Veterans Garden, in conjuction with the Army Benevolent Fund. This has been an annual event since 2014. This year the theme is children of military families, but the painted dolls represent more than that: unity and love for children everywhere who are suffering in times of conflict.
On each of my Pagan Eye posts, I show a photo that I find interesting, with a few words about it. If you want to send me a photo for a Paga ..read more
A bad witch's blog
1w ago
You might be surprised to learn that the Wellcome Collection, which is part of an organisation that supports science to solve urgent health challenges, also has a large collection of amulets, charms and other magical objects. What's more, the museum and library encourages people to challenge preconceptions about health and wellbeing.
I took the photo of amulets, charms and votives there last September, at an event about magical objects associated with luck, protection and healing. Many of the items on display were collected by London folklorist Edward Lovett in the early 20th century ..read more
A bad witch's blog
1w ago
One of the things I find most joyful at the spring equinox is the sight of new leaf buds on trees. The photo at the top shows the first green leaves on the horse chestnut tree in my local park. When I was a child, my mum and I would go down the garden to cut sticky buds from the massive horse chestnut tree at the end. They're called "sticky buds" because they're covered with a protective natural adhesive that keeps the buds safe all winter and allows the new leaves to form a bit earlier than those of some other trees. You can just see the brown, sticky remains of the bud scales below th ..read more
A bad witch's blog
1w ago
Tomorrow, 20 March, is the astronomical equinox. The day and night will be equal and it is a celebration of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. There are magical events taking place from now onwards, and here's a list of online and in-person things to do. I generally list events in the UK, especially in or near London because that's where I live, but some are a bit further afield.
Now - 21 March; Unlock the Secrets of Card Reading challenge. Free online event with Hay House. https://experience.hayhouseu.com/certifiedcardreader-challenge-index/?
Now - 4 April; Exhi ..read more
A bad witch's blog
1w ago
Can you spot the difference between these two copies of my book Pagan Portals - Rounding the Wheel of the Year?
Before I give the answer, I'll explain why they're different. The one on the left was printed before the one on the right. My publisher, Moon Books, always sends a few samples to authors months before the official publication date. When I got my copies I spotted something I wanted changed, and the editor was absolutely lovely about doing that. I later got sent another complementary author copy, printed the way I wanted.
Have you spotted the difference yet?
If you w ..read more
A bad witch's blog
2w ago
My friends who go foraging tell me love the spring for it's bounty of edible green shoots. I photographed this patch of nettles and cleavers on an overgrown bank beside my local DIY store, and might pop back to pick some. You can make nettle soup and nettle pesto or use the young tips as a subsitute for spinach in quite a few recipes. I like nettle and mint tea sometimes too. Magically, nettles can be used in protection and banishing spells. Do wear gloves when you handle them though!
Cleavers can also be put in soups and stews. A friend recently told me the shoots are nice boiled as a veg ..read more
A bad witch's blog
2w ago
My publisher, Moon Books, has told me that Pagan Portals - Poppets and Magical Dolls has reached another big sales milestone, having sold more than 4,000 copies. A big thanks to everyone who has bought a copy, left a review, and told me they've enjoyed reading it.
Here's the description from the back cover:
Poppets are dolls used for sympathetic magic, and are designed in the likeness of individuals in order to represent them in spells to help, heal or harm. Pagan Portals – Poppets and Magical Dolls explores the history of poppets and offers a practical guide to making and u ..read more